


Cwtches

by moonofblindness



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alexsandr Kallus Needs A Hug, Character Death, Comfort, Comfortember 2020, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Hugs, M/M, cassian andor mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27664250
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonofblindness/pseuds/moonofblindness
Summary: Kallus learns of Cassian's death, thank the Ashla Zeb knows Kallus so well
Relationships: Alexsandr Kallus/Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios
Comments: 4
Kudos: 51
Collections: Comfortember 2020





	Cwtches

**Author's Note:**

> Kallus speaks Lasana of my own design.

They had just gotten back from the scouting mission assigned by Leia. Zeb had gone to check-in with his Ghost family, and Kallus went to medical on his own, knowing Zeb would have had no problems manhandling him to the med-droids, and while Kallus loved to be manhandled by Zeb, he was in no mood for the inevitable teasing he would have received from any and everyone who saw. So he had gone on his own.  


Once Kallus had been cleared by medical, he and Zeb went to debrief Senator Mon Mothma. She and the rest of command were eager to know the suitability of the scouted location for the next Rebel base. Zeb and Kallus were of the opinion that the planet they had scouted was inhospitable, but they may have been biased.  


After the debrief, General Draven took Kallus aside and Zeb decided to wait for Kal outside, just in case the discussion was something he hadn't the clearance for. "While Operation Fracture was ultimately a success, I regret to inform you that Captain Cassian Andor and all of Rogue One was lost."  


There must have been a glitch in Kallus' brain, because all he could offer back to Draven was a look of utter confusion. He thought, if he remembered correctly that Operation Fracture had something to do with an Imperial scientist named Erso, but had absolutely no idea what Rogue One was.  


If he had been a man prone to dramatics, he would have sighed at the look of confusion, but he remembered that the Captain had already been gone when the shit hit the fan. He knew no other way than blunt so blunt he was, "Captain Andor is dead. Draven "The Dick" (as Zeb called him) turned and walked away from a shocked Kallus, and didn't bother to acknowledge the Lasat as he passed by.  


Zeb could not have cared less about the General, but it should have meant that Kal was right behind, but he wasn't. 'Ok Zeb, someone else probably needed to talk to Kal, no big deal,' he told himself. Ten minutes went by - no Kal, then it was 15 minutes, and Zeb was getting anxious. He peeked into the command center and the only people there were there were the command techs. "Karabast!"  


"I'm sorry, Sir, I don't know what that means," said the closest tech.  


"It's probably better you don't, kid."  


The tech gave him a knowing wink, "Gotcha. If you are looking for Captain Kallus, he went out that way about 15 minutes ago."  


"Uh, thanks Mate," Zeb said after he started walking away. The tech appreciated the gesture, he knew the Captain had something on his mind and hadn't meant to be rude, unlike a certain General.  


It always unnerved Zeb when the techs did that. He should have known better, the ones who were never seen, were the ones who saw everything.  


The next place Zeb went was Kal's bunk, but Kal wasn't there. He assessed the situation from what he knew and chose one of the two next logical places to look for a disappeared Kallus. And he found Kallus exactly where he thought he would, amongst the "clean lines and hard angles" of the Palace of the Woolamander. "Do I need to go kick Draven's ass?"  


"Zeb?" Kallus was confused for a moment before he focused on what Zeb had asked him. "Oh, ah not this time, he was just the messenger."  


Zeb knew that tone of voice Kal used. Zeb did not like that tone of voice Kal used when he thought he hadn't done enough because the outcome wasn't one he had expected, even if he had nothing to do with the original situation. If one was to believe Kallus, he would be responsible for every evil deed the Empire has done even before he joined.  


He had squatted down on his haunches to be closer to Kal when he noticed something in Kallus' hands, "Whatcha got there Kal?"  


Without uttering a word, Kallus just handed the object over to Zeb. After he took it, he sat down all the way opposite Kallus. Then Zeb looked at what he was holding. It was a hand held holo projector with a still image displayed. It took Zeb a minute to figure out what he was looking at, and what it was was a picture of Kal with a dark haired and darker than Kallus skinned man at (and this was the kicker, if he hadn't been looking at it he never would have believed it of straight laced Kal) a tattoo parlor!  


Before Zeb could say anything, Kallus spoke, "That is Captain Cassian Andor of Rebel Intelligence, a fellow Fulcrum, and the person I defected to," here Kallus had paused briefly, "He was also my only friend after you."  


Zeb set aside that last bit to examine later, instead he focused on the young man, "He seems really young, he's just a kit like . . ."  


"Ezra," Kallus breathed, "I had thought the same thing when I met him. He was only 26."  


"Was?" Zeb asked knowing he was not going to like the answer.  


"Captain Andor lead a team to Scarif to retrieve structural plans for what had been being built over Geonosis. While ultimately the mission was a success, he along with everyone on Scarif were lost."  


To anyone else, Kallus might have sounded cold, but Zeb (and maybe it was because of his Lasat ears) heard the lilts Kal was trying so hard to hide. He didn't say anything as he handed the projector back to Kallus, but before Kallus could pull his hand back, Zeb had grabbed Kal's wrist and pulled the grieving man into a fierce hug. He hoped he could convey all the love and support he had for Kal through the strength of his arms holding Kal tight, and the pounding of his heart.  


"Ashakrawhante, Zeb."

**Author's Note:**

> Ashakrawhante = thank you


End file.
